WE ARE LOOKING FOR UKRAINIAN SUCCESS STORIES ON CIRCULAR ECONOMY
The circular economy (CE) is a well-known concept promoted by the European Union, governments and businesses around the world. It aims to reassess the way in which economies grow, moving beyond the traditional industrial model of ‘Take-Make-Waste’. Instead, CE proposes a different, 3Rs model, starting from the principle to ‘Reduce-Reuse-Recycle’.
Today, Ukrainian businesses mostly rely on the application of modern, innovative international practices and approaches, in order to improve their productivity and reduce negative the impact on the environment. Notably, some have already incorporated CE principles into their operations, even before the progressive, environmentally sound, and economically viable nature of CE was recognized. In light of the current circumstances, it is paramount to amplify and replicate such endeavors, and to promote the pioneering firms and and their success stories in implementing CE.
Hence, within the framework of the EU-funded EU4Environment Action and UNIDO project “Industrial capacity-building, policy advice and diagnostics for the green recovery of Ukraine” funded by the German Government (BMZ), the Resource Efficient and Cleaner Production Centre (RECP Centre), is looking for Ukrainian companies that have implemented or are implementing CE principles within their production processes and are willing to share their experiences. The RECP Centre wishes to involve national companies in the project to showcase their capacity and potential to a wider audience.
How to determine if a company has implemented CE practices?
– Do you reuse production waste or sell it as a raw material to other companies?
– Do you extend the lifetime of your product, for example by making it easier to maintain or repair? Have you implemented any measures based on eco-design?
– Are you selling a product as a service?
– Do you carry out full repairs/refurbishments of used products?
– Do you offer product sharing?
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If any of the above applies to your business, please reach out and share your company’s success story by completing the form (in Ukrainian).
Our experts will contact you to produce a successful case study in a format that suits your business, which will be then distributed worldwide and potentially included in an online training course developed by the RECP Centre.
Become a successful role model for other companies in Ukraine and around the world!
The open call for sharing CE success stories closes at the end of November.
The Three Broad Strategies to Circularize an Economy:
To reach the main objectives of CE (closing flows, minimising flows), three broad strategies need to be implemented:
– “Narrow” flows – requiring less materials to make & use products, deliver services.
– “Slow down” flows – extending the useful life of products (and product parts), which reduces the overall amount of products required => less materials.
– “Сlose loops” – recycling materials “locked up” in used/waste products back into manufacturing/farming (primary production more generally).
Areas of New Business Mmodels for the Circular Economy
Closed-loop supply chain: resources that are recovered, recycled or decomposed in the natural environment.
Resource recovery: from waste, for example.
Product life extension: maintenance, repair, remanufacturing, resale.
Sharing platforms: between users, including individuals and organisations.
Services as a product: users do not own the product but pay for its use.
Questions for products in the circular economy:
– Selling the service of the product rather than the product itself?
– Integrating remanufacturing into its business?
– Making the product recyclable or regenerable?
– Making the product durable, easily maintainable and repairable?
– Ensuring the product uses recycled content and/or is easily recycled?
– Ensuring the product contains no or less hazardous materials?
– Ensuring the product uses energy and other resources efficiently?
